JP2014082035A - Heating cooker - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heating cooker with good convenience capable of intelligibly displaying an operation state of a device while suppressing enlargement of a display region related to the operation state of the device, increase in the number of components, and increase in size and cost of a power supply circuit.SOLUTION: Display means 4 can represent a maximum of 20 types of operation states in total by adding a dot display 4a to 1-digit 7-segment number displays 4b and 4c and combining lighting, and thereby, increase in a display region can be suppressed. Further, because the lighting of the dot display 4a can be emphasized by enhancing the luminance of the dot display 4a having a small light-emitting area, the presence of the display can be easily recognized in spite of the small display surface area.

Description

  The present invention relates to a heating cooker that is used in general homes, restaurants, offices, and the like and includes display means for displaying contents according to operation settings.

  A conventional cooking device will be described. A heating cooker is disclosed that displays the magnitude of the heating output set in the heating unit by changing the location of the LED to be lit. (For example, see Patent Document 1)

JP 2002-89853 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, the number of LEDs corresponding to the number of heating output settings of the heating unit is required, and it is necessary to take a wide display area. In addition to displaying, it is necessary to operate the device within the limited area. In order to make it difficult to secure a necessary area or to achieve both, there is a problem that the device becomes large.

  Also, even if the number of LED lighting is increased or decreased according to the size of the heating output, or the number of display pictograms is increased or decreased on the LCD, the number of LEDs or the number of display pictograms corresponding to the heating output setting number is also the same. It is necessary to take a wide display area, and display means for realizing each function (for example, a light source such as an LED or a resin component for light guide) and a lead wire for giving a signal to the display means are required. The increase in the number of parts increases the complexity of the equipment configuration and associated costs, and increases in the current consumption of the light source increase the size of the power supply circuit that supplies power to the light source and the associated increase in cost. There are challenges.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and makes it easy to understand the operation state of the device while suppressing the enlargement of the display area relating to the operation state of the device and the increase in the number of parts related to it, the increase in the size and cost of the power supply circuit. An easy-to-use cooking device that can be displayed is provided.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a heating cooker according to the present invention includes an insulating plate on which a part to be heated is partially or entirely light-transmitting, a lower part of the insulating plate, A heating unit that heats the heating body; a display unit that displays an energization state of the heating unit as a figure or a character through a light-transmitting portion of the insulating plate; and an output control unit that controls energization of the heating unit. The display means forms a plurality of predetermined figures or characters on substantially the same surface by light emitted from a light emitting element, and has a small light emitting area among the plurality of predetermined figures or characters. The display is configured to increase the luminance.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to avoid a display element whose light emission area cannot be increased due to restrictions on the display area area, restrictions on design, and display intention, and is therefore difficult to discriminate at the same luminance as other large display elements. Therefore, it is possible to provide an easy-to-use cooking device that can easily display the operation state of the device even if the display area is small.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the heating cooker in Embodiment 1 of this invention.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an insulating plate in which at least a part on which a heated body is placed is made light-transmitting, a heating unit that is provided below the insulating plate and that heats the heated body, A display means for displaying a status display as a graphic or a character through a light-transmitting portion of the insulating plate; and an output control means for controlling energization to the heating section. The predetermined figure or character is formed by light emitted from the light emitting element, and the luminance of the light emitting element having a light emitting area smaller than the predetermined area in the plurality of predetermined figures or characters is made higher than that of the other light emitting elements. By displaying the display, the display indicating the operating state of the heating unit can be visually recognized from the light transmitting portion of the insulating plate with a figure or characters formed of light.

  In general, the luminance is adjusted to be almost the same regardless of the light emitting area of the display element being displayed. In this case, a display element having a small light emitting area is not conspicuous. By making the luminance higher than that of other display elements having a large light emitting area, it is possible to easily interpret display elements having a small light emitting area.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, the light emitting element having a light emitting area smaller than the predetermined area is configured to increase the luminance by increasing the amount of current to flow than the other light emitting elements. Thus, in the case where the display means is formed of light-emitting elements having substantially the same electrical characteristics whose luminance changes with the amount of current, the luminance can be easily changed with the amount of current flowing through the element, and the light-emitting element Selection and procurement can be simplified.

  In a third aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, a light emitting element having a light emitting area smaller than a predetermined area is configured to use a light emitting element having higher efficiency than the other light emitting elements, thereby increasing luminance. By doing so, the luminance of the light emitting element having a small light emitting area can be increased without increasing the supply current to the display means, and the increase in the power consumption of the device can be suppressed.

  In a fourth aspect of the invention, particularly in the first to third aspects of the invention, the display means has a one-digit 7-segment number display in which the light emission area is larger than the predetermined area and the light emission area is smaller than the predetermined area. It has at least one set of dot display indicating a decimal point, and is configured to display the heating output setting of the heating unit with a one-digit number and a dot. The operating states of 10 types of heating units from 0 to 9 can be expressed, and by adding dot display to each number, 10 types of operating states can be expressed, and a total of 20 types of operating states can be expressed. The increase in the display area can be suppressed. Further, since the lighting of the dot display can be emphasized by increasing the brightness of the dot display with a small light emitting area, it is possible to easily determine the presence of the display even if the display area is small.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, the heating cooker of embodiment of this invention is demonstrated based on drawing. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention.

In the heating cooker of FIG. 1, an object to be heated is placed on an insulating plate (not shown), and has a heating unit 1 that heats from below the insulating plate. The display means 4 displays the status corresponding to the setting. The display means 4 is composed of a switch or the like, and is composed of an LCD or LED and represents a number by a segment display, and indicates the heating output of the heating unit 1 set by the operation unit 3.

  The operation of the above configuration will be described. When the user operates a switch or the like of the operation unit 3, the operation unit 3 outputs an operation start or set fire power signal to the output control means 2. The output control means 2 performs an operation such as starting the heating operation of the heating unit 1 based on the signal received from the operation unit 3 or changing the setting of the heating power when the heating unit 1 is performing the heating operation. Simultaneously with the above operation, the display means 4 displays the set state of the heating unit 1. At this time, since the display means 4 emits light by forming an operation display element composed of LEDs as a figure or a character, the heating unit 1 can be used by the user from the surface of the insulating plate through the light transmitting portion of the insulating plate. It is possible to easily visually recognize in what setting state the device is operating.

  For example, when the operation of the heating unit 1 is set, heating of the heating unit 1 is started by the “OFF / ON” key 3a, the “heating power up” key 3b, and the “heating power down” key 3c of the operation unit 3 shown in FIG. And stop can be set each time the “OFF / ON” key 3a is pressed, and if the “heating power up” key 3b or the “heating power down” key 3c is pressed during the heating operation of the heating unit 1, the heating heating power of the heating unit 1 is set respectively. Can be set to be higher or lower. At the same time, the set heating power is displayed on the LEDs 4a, 4b and 4c by a combination of lighting and extinguishing, which also indicates the heating state in the display means 4. To indicate the heating state during heating, the LED 4a, 4b, 4c is turned on in combination, and when heating is stopped, all are turned off. Further, the strength of the thermal power setting is “1” in order of increasing thermal power according to the number of 1 to 9 combined with the lighting / extinguishing of the 7 segments of the LEDs 4b and 4c and the lighting / extinction of the dots of the LED 4a in this embodiment. , "1.", "2", "2.", ~, "7.", "8", "8.", "9", "9." Yes.

  As a result, there is no need to arrange LEDs as many as the number of thermal power stages, and only a general-purpose and inexpensive 7-segment numerical display element with dot display can perform thermal power setting display having a large number of setting stages. In addition to being able to reduce the size, it is possible to set multiple heating heating power stages that can be finely set, and even if the number of heating heating power stages increases, the strength of the heating power setting can be easily and quickly recognized at a glance. improves.

  At this time, each segment of the LEDs 4b and 4c is about 1 mm × 4.5 mm (4.5 square mm), whereas the segment of the LED 4a is a dot display of about φ1 mm (about 0.8 square mm). In addition, since the light emitting area is small, it may be difficult to visually recognize. The LED 4a expresses the thermal power setting with one dot display segment. If the dot display is difficult to visually recognize, the user may mistakenly recognize the thermal power setting. It is necessary to make the display of the segments of the LED 4a stand out. Therefore, for example, each segment of the LEDs 4b and 4c passes a current of about 2 mA, whereas the current that flows in the segment of the LED 4a whose emission area is 25% or less is 4 of the current that flows in each segment of the LEDs 4b and 4c. By passing a current of about 9 mA that is twice or more, the luminance of the dot display is small and the visibility of the dot display is small and difficult to visually recognize, so that it is easily visible.

  Further, the current passed through each segment may be determined so as to be inversely proportional to each light emitting area. For example, if the light emission area of each segment of the LEDs 4b and 4c is 4.5 square mm and the current flows about 2 mA, the light emission area of the LED 4a segment is about 1.0 square mm. If the current to be applied is determined to be about 9 mA, 4.5 times 2 mA, for example, even if there are various light emitting area segments, the small light emitting area segments can be made more conspicuous and can be visually recognized in the entire display means. Can be made easier.

  Further, when the allowable current of the LED 4a having a small area is limited, the current flowing through the LED 4a is left as it is, or the current is increased within the allowable current or less, and the luminance of the LEDs 4b and 4c is decreased. Even if the LED 4a having a small light emitting area is made conspicuous and easily visible due to the difference in luminance between the two, the same effect can be obtained.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, while suppressing the expansion of the display area, the operating state of the heating unit 1 is finely set and displayed, and even when the size of the display element is small, it is visually recognized. Can be made easier.

  In the present embodiment, the luminance is increased by increasing the current amount of the LED having a small light emitting area. However, the same structure can be adopted even when the luminance is increased by using an element having higher light emission efficiency than the LED having a large light emitting area. An effect can be obtained and an effect of suppressing an increase in current consumption of the display means can be obtained.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the setting thermal power of the heating unit is described with numbers and dots, but it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to all combinations of display with a large difference in light emitting area. It is.

  As described above, since the heating cooker according to the present invention can display a large number of operation states in an easy-to-understand manner while suppressing the expansion of the display area, the induction cooking device or the rice cooker is used regardless of whether it is for general household use or business use. , Hot plate, toaster, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Heating part 2 Output control means 3 Operation part 4 Display means 4a Dot display 4b, 4c 7 segment number display

Claims (4)

An insulating plate in which at least a part on which the object to be heated is placed is made light transmissive, a heating unit provided below the insulating plate for heating the object to be heated, and a status display of the heating unit are displayed on the insulating plate Display means for displaying as a graphic or a character through a light-transmitting portion of the display, and an output control means for controlling energization to the heating unit, wherein the display means includes a plurality of predetermined figures or characters on substantially the same plane. Is formed with light emitted from the light emitting element, and in the plurality of predetermined figures or characters, the heating of the structure in which the luminance of the light emitting element having a light emitting area smaller than the predetermined area is made higher than that of the other light emitting elements is displayed. Cooking device. 2. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element having a light emitting area smaller than a predetermined area is configured to increase luminance by increasing an amount of current to flow more than the other light emitting elements. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting element having a light emitting area smaller than a predetermined area is configured to use a light emitting element having higher efficiency than the other light emitting elements to increase brightness. The display means includes at least one set of a one-digit 7-segment numeral display having a light emission area larger than a predetermined area and a dot display indicating a decimal point having a light emission area smaller than the predetermined area. The heating cooker of any one of Claims 1-3 of the structure which displays the heating output setting of a part with a 1-digit number and a dot.

Images